


Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

by necroneol



Category: Kingdom Hearts
Genre: M/M, haha I love making myself sad
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-25
Updated: 2019-02-25
Packaged: 2019-11-05 09:28:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,309
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17916206
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/necroneol/pseuds/necroneol
Summary: '“It looks like we’ll be going our separate ways again, huh?”'---Takes place just before Kingdom Hearts 3, no spoilers at all if you've played up to Dream Drop Distance :) This is basically just me being sad that they're sad.





	Absence Makes The Heart Grow Fonder

**Author's Note:**

> If you would like some background music for this quick one-shot, I would suggest "Distant From You" from the Dream Drop Distance OST (https://youtu.be/pb8wmjW1xsk) it's a very special song to me, for so many different reasons, and it, in part, inspired this little thing.

“It looks like we’ll be going our separate ways again, huh?” 

Sora nodded, folded his arms over his knees. He grumbled something that sounded like a forlorn affirmation, and lowered his head to rest his chin over his arm. The restless scuffing of his heel in the gravel and the much apparent pout upon his lips made his discontent more than obvious—if his verbal complaints had not already done so. They had only just finished their training, he had protested. Why did they have to part so soon already? Couldn’t they have just a moment of downtime together? He had bitten his bottom lip between his teeth as Yen Sid had scolded him for being selfish, when there were worlds and people in need of his help; had nearly teared up when he softened his tone, and relented to allow him and Riku to have some time to themselves for the rest of the day. Had held tight to the corner of Riku’s jacket as the two of them trudged outside, to the floating edge of the Mysterious Tower’s island of inhabitance. 

“Don’t be like that,” Sighing, Riku grimaced and pinched one brow inward, “We _have_ to, Sora. You know that.”

“I know that—“ Sora snapped, raising his head an inch to shoot Riku a glare, “doesn't mean I _like_ it.”

He pressed his lips together as something like hurt flickered over Riku’s expression, and straightened up. He let his feet slide from his chest and fall over the edge of the island, kicking tiny rocks into the colorful abyss below. His hands moved to either sides of him now, taking fistfuls of dirt and grass. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled, lowering his gaze, “I don’t mean to be mean, I’m just…why do we have to separate so soon? I barely got to see Kairi, and Mickey and…you. Why can’t I go with you?” 

But he already knew the answer. Because he had failed his Mark of Mastery exam, and now, while Riku and His Majesty were off doing the really important stuff, Sora was stuck in trainee mode. And as much as he appreciated Donald and Goofy’s company, he couldn’t shake the guilt of the fact that they were being held back, too, because of him. Because their pity made them feel like they had to tag along, and because Sora had failed so many times, it was hard to believe he could truly do anything without help. Sora’s lower lip wobbled, and he sniffled. In Riku’s silence, he brought his hand up to scrub the back of his glove under his runny nose. As he moved to lower it back to his side, Riku reached over and slowly took it in his own. He ran his thumb over Sora’s knuckles as he brought his hand closer. 

Sora resisted, pouting again, “You’re touching my snot, y’know."

Riku laughed once, lightly, “Yeah, it’s kinda gross, but I’ll deal,” he gave the other boy’s hand a gentle squeeze, “Don’t cry, Sora. All this—these battles—they’ll all be over soon. And then we can go back home. You, me, Kairi…Even Lea if he feels like it.”

“I don't want to go home,” Sora muttered, and Riku inclined his head in surprise, “I just…wanna be with you. It’s like every time I catch up to you, you’re running off again. I feel like I’m never good enough…”

“Sora.” Riku’s voice was so sharp and firm, Sora had to raise his head, eyes wide. His heartbeat fluttered when he saw the pure sadness in Riku’s eyes. “Don't you ever think like that, do you hear me? You’ve got worlds of people counting on you, and you’ve never once let them down,” Sora opened his mouth to argue, but Riku swiftly cut him off, “When we were younger, I may have run from you then, but I’m not running anymore. Just because I’m off doing things on my own doesn’t mean you’re falling behind. You’ve got to have a little more faith in yourself. I’m not leaving you, never again. You know I’m always with you, and if you start missing me and Kairi real bad, you can always come back here and ask Master Yen Sid to tell Mickey and I to stop by, too. You’ve got important things to do, and so do I, that’s all there is to it. If you sit here moping and whining, you’ll never get the chance to enjoy yourself before things get really tough. You’ve got to take this time to find yourself, and to have fun with Donald and Goofy while you can.” 

“I know, you’re right…” Sora turned his head, and closed his eyes. He laced his fingers through Riku’s and heaved a heavy sigh. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be pitching a fit when everyone’s doing their part to see this through.”

Riku’s tone softened, and he scooted closer to his companion. He placed his free hand atop their joined ones. “It’s okay to be frustrated. But you’ve got to see past that and try to be happy for the time being.”

“Says you,” Sora huffed, cracking open one eye. He left it at that, held back any mention of their younger days, when Riku had given into the temptation of the Darkness and destroyed the Destiny Islands, all out of sheer frustration and self-hate. He knew, though he and Kairi had never once blamed Riku, that Riku had still never forgiven himself for what he did. The guilt held fast and heavy, to this day. What a hypocrite Riku was, Sora thought, to sit here and tell him that he wasn't allowed to feel like he was inferior to him, when for years Riku had thought the same way about Sora.

“I’m gonna pretend I didn't hear that attitude,” Riku teased, nudging Sora’s thigh with his elbow. “Come on, give me a smile, Sora. For the road. I need something to keep me going.”

Sora pursed his lips, but already, the faintest glow of a smile had begun to creep upon the corners of his mouth. “I don’t feel like smiling, I feel like pouting.”  
  
“Come on,” Riku hummed, “for me?”

Sora snorted, and grinned, a thing that only widened when he saw the color rush to Riku’s cheeks, “Ugh, fine. But only if you give _me_ a little something.”

“Oh?” Riku tilted his head to the side and raised an eyebrow. Sora twisted, leaning in. He pushed his lips into a comical puckered lip plead. Riku rolled his eyes and shook his head. “I guess it’s only fair…but just one, alright?”

“Mm-hm.”

Riku giggled, and closed the distance between them with a sigh. His hand previously folded over both of theirs raised now to cup Sora’s cheek, his thumb on the dimple of his chin. He let his lips brush over the other boy’s faintly at first, and then pressed a firm and sweet kiss between them. Sora’s eyes closed, and Riku’s lids lowered, until he saw Sora only through the blurred cracks between his pale lashes. It was only a moment, but it felt like a lifetime, and when Riku finally drew back, Sora was not smiling any longer. Riku’s smile drifted away as well, as the weight of how little time they had left together fully dawned on him at last.

“Oh, Sora,” Riku squeezed his eyes shut and pressed forward to wrap both arms around the boy’s shoulders. “I can’t wait for this to all be over.”

Sora returned the embrace without hesitation, squeezing both arms around Riku’s middle and burying his face in the crook of his shoulder and neck. As Riku’s fingers brushed through his hair, it was all Sora could do not to cry, and when he finally found his voice, all he could manage was a quiet, “I know.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading <3 please feel free to leave any comments or requests


End file.
